Is this happening
by weirdone92
Summary: A story of three brothers and their relationship and how will it stand when put up to the ultimate test
1. Chapter 1

Casey lay down on the sofa, he was exhausted and his head was banging, he supposed the cold he'd had and surfing was not the best mix. Putting it down to dehydration he'd come home to get a drink and chill out for a bit. He loved living near the beach, the sand and the wave's right on their door step. This finally felt like home. He switched the TV on but as his eyes began to feel heavier and heavier he gave into sleep.

Brax walked in the door and saw his little brother asleep, he smiled to himself, 'he looks just like he did when he was little.' Brax thought to himself. Heath followed him in and saw Casey asleep. He jumped over the back of the sofa landing right on top of him.

'Oi!' Casey shouted, pushing Heath off of him, Brax chortled while Heath was laughing his head off.

'I'm going to my room, got a headache' Casey told Brax, trying to ignore Heath.

…

'Oi, Case! You coming for dinner' yelled Brax.

'Yeah, yeah give me a minute' said Casey waking up to a dull headache, he walked into the room and slumped down on the chair.

'What's up with you?' inquired Brax.

'Headache.' grumbled Casey

'Ya wuss,' said Heath

The brothers sat down in front of the TV and tucked into the pizza, Casey nibbled on his piece, he wasn't actually very hungry, he put it down to the headache and told Brax he was going to bed. Hoping his headache would be gone by tomorrow, he had school and his exams where in a few months.

…

Casey woke up the next morning, to his sheets covered in sweat, he went and took a shower, in attempt to cool down. The cold water felt good against his clammy skin. He stepped out wrapping his towel around the lower half of his sore body and went through for breakfast.

'Case you look awful,' said Brax.

'Thanks,' grumbled Casey, 'Didn't sleep well, was all sweaty, think I've got a temperature, might go back to bed.'

As he turned around Brax saw all the bruises around his spine. 'Oh God, Casey' he said in shock.

'What?' said Casey, turning round to face Brax, feeling very dizzy, he felt himself drop down to the floor


	2. Chapter 2

**FrankElza**** – Thankyou for the tip **

Tamara pushed open the doors to the hospital corridor; Brax was pacing up and down while Heath sat on the chair with his head in his hands.

'What happened?' Tamara asked.

'We don't know, he had a headache yesterday and not much of an appetite, he woke up this morning he had a temperature and then I saw all the bruises on his back and then he just collapsed. They said he's not in any immediate danger and they are going to do some blood work to see what's wrong' Brax told Tamara

'Can we see him?' she asked, desperate to see him

'In a minute.' Brax reassured her. But she could see the concern his face. It was hard at first being with someone with such a close family, but Tamara saw the bond the brothers shared with each other and knew that nothing could sever it.

Brax wrapped his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze. And they both stared at the door which Casey was behind.

'What's taking so long?' Heath questioned, getting more and more agitated.

Right at that moment Dr. Walker pushed opened the door and walked out Casey's room.

'Is he ok?' said Tamara.

'For the moment' he said, turning to Brax, 'He's awake but a little weak, we are waiting on the test results and then I will be able to tell you more, you can go in and see him, the results will be about an hour.' he patted Brax on the shoulder and went to see to his other patients.

Brax went into Casey's room and saw his little brother lying there tired and weak, and his heart broke, the little boy he had practically raised and protected and now he couldn't help him. He felt useless.

They sat with Casey for a while, as he fell asleep. No one spoke they all just stared at Casey. One hand in Tamaras as she fought to keep the tears sliding down her face. Heath sat in the corner, his leg tapping as he became more restless by the minute. And Brax stood nobly at the end of the bed, wandering what the hell they were going to do if it was bad news.

Brax looked down at his watch. 'It's been an hour, where are the results?'

He looked around the room towards the door as it began to push open. And Dr. Walker walked in.

They all stood up and the commotion stirred Casey, as he opened his eyes he remembered where he was and looked around at his family and squeezed Tamara's hand.

'Sit down guys,' he said, 'I'm afraid it isn't good news, the blood test haven't come back normal a high level of white blood cells.'

'What does that mean?' asked Casey.

'We are pretty sure that this is Leukaemia, we are going to take you down for a bone marrow biopsy to make sure and to tell us what type this is.'

At that moment the world seemed to stand still. Tamara let the tears she had been holding in escape down her cheeks. Brax and Heath turned from Dr. Walker to Casey and the three brothers starred at each other in shock.

…

Casey lay on the hospital bed asleep, still sore from the bone marrow biopsy, Brax sat next to him watching his little brother, looking so peaceful, he wished with all his heart that he could swap places with him.

A few hours later, Casey lay on the bed watching TV, Brax dozing in the chair next to him, Casey didn't want to wake him up, he didn't want to see his brothers face full of pity he was barely holding on to his emotions as it was, Heath had gone home to look after the restaurant and get some stuff from the house. Tamara had gone home too, another face he couldn't bear to look at.

Finally alone with his thoughts the days events caught up with him, as the prospect of what was to come and the pain it would cause him and his family, he weld up and he let the tears flow.

Dr. Walker walked in,

'Hey Casey.'

Brax woke up, 'Sid, any news?'

'Yes, I have the results here, I am afraid it's not good, it is confirmed that this is Leukaemia, more specifically Acute myelogenous leukaemia.'

'What does that mean?' Brax asked urgently.

'It basically means that the cancer is causing your body to make a large number of white blood cells, but these cells cannot fight infection very well, they take up room so there is less room for healthy blood cells….'

'I mean, what do we do now? What happens now?' interrupted Brax.

'It means we will have to start Chemotherapy straight away and sort out a treatment plan. I suggest you get some rest,' he said to Casey.

The Doctor looked into the reddened eyes of the youngest Braxton. Sure the kid had made mistakes but he didn't deserve this, no one deserved this.


	3. Chapter 3

They pulled up outside the house, and all walked in to the home they had created, but a tense silence filled the air. No one quite knew what to say. Casey looked around at his family, knowing they were never going to look at him the same.

Dr. Walker had sent him home with specific instructions to rest before chemotherapy. So he excused himself from the awkward silence and retreated to his room. He laid down onto his bed, curled up into a ball and just lay there.

"Brax what are we going to do?" Heath questioned his big brother, who always had the answers.

"I don't know Heath, I don't know" and with that he walked out the back door into the yard.

Heath looked at Ricky. "I got him." she said and followed Brax.

Heath turned to Bianca, tears in his eyes, "Whats going to happen?" he stuttered out to her.

"We don't know but go be with Case, he needs you now, Brax will be fine."

Casey was staring into nothingness when he sensed someone in the doorway, he turned over and saw Heath walk in. He climbed onto the bed with his little brother and pulled him close and just held him till he fell asleep in his arms.

…

His first chemo session had been scheduled for 2 days' time and from what the doctor had said it was going to be intense and Casey would most likely be in hospital for a few weeks. He had spent most of the day on the sofa watching TV and falling asleep with Heath and Brax watching over him watching over him. He had an appointment in the afternoon to get a port fitted into his chest to administer the chemo. Casey had wanted to spend one more night at home before the weeks that awaited him, so they drove home unsure of what was to come but knowing that they had to be there for each other.

They pulled up in the car outside the hospital the next morning with a bag full of magazines and Caseys school books, he was determined he wasn't going to fell behind, not after all the hard work he had put in this year.

Brax turned round to look at his little brother.

"It's going to be ok." Brax assured him

Casey looked back at him, right in the eyes and opened the car door and got out. They made their way into the hospital barely speaking a word to each other.

Casey changed into a gown and climbed into the hospital bed as Dr. Walker walked in.

"Hey Casey, we are going to start by giving you a blood transfusion first before we start the chemo, Linda will set it all up and I will be back later to see how you are getting on."

….

Two weeks later, after sleepless nights, throwing up, another blood transfusion and Casey shrinking into his bed, the first two rounds had finished and doctors had decided to give him a few days off of chemo, to build his strength back up, Casey had begged Dr. Walker and Brax to let him go home for a couple of nights and they agreed.

Brax took the handles and started to push the wheel chair, Casey slumped in it, no energy to walk to the car. Brax looked down at his little brother and realised the long road they have ahead of them.

When they finally reached home after having to stop a couple of times for Casey to throw up, Brax half carried Casey into his room and laid him upon his bed. Casey looked up into his brothers eyes and saw the pain in them and realised how bad he must look. Brax sat upon the bed just looking at his brother and taking it all in before Casey fell asleep. He just sat there with his little brother thinking about all the crap he had been through but he had come out the other side, Casey was a good kid and he didn't deserve this to happen to him. Brax heard the front door shut and went to see who it was. Bianca was bringing in the shopping and looked up and saw Brax.

"How is he?" She asked.

"He's asleep, pretty out of it. Do you mind watching him for a bit? I need to clear my head before he wakes up."

"Sure."

And Brax left. Bianca went into Caseys room and saw the youngest Braxton asleep looking as if there was nothing wrong. But there was a war waging inside his body and no one could know which side was going to win. She could tell this was going to be hard on Brax, she could already see the cracks beginning to appear. He had always been able to fix the problems and all he could do now was sit and watch his brother put up the best fight he could. She knew this was going to be the hardest thing the brothers had faced and that was saying something.

Brax walked along the beach, the waves crashed into his feet. He fell to his knees in desperation and just sat there for a while. He had raised this kid and now he was watching his life fade from him, and he had no way to fix it, he felt useless again, so he just sat there and gazed out to the sea and the boats across the bay, to this little town they now called home.

Back at the house Bianca had collapsed onto the sofa and was watching some mundane TV program. She heard some noises coming from Casey's room, she figured he must have woken up so she went to check on him to see if he needed anything. She went into his room and he was sat up with sick dribbling from his mouth.

"Oh Case."

"Sorry." Casey mumbled.

"It's fine darling, let's get you cleaned up shall we."

She pulled off his shirt and was shocked to see his frail body, making his condition so much more real. She wiped up the sick and put some clean clothes on him before guiding him through into the living room. He sat on the sofa, catching his breath whilst Bianca went to get a bucket.

…

Mr Stewart was walking along the beach when he saw the young man sitting by the sea.

"Cor struff Brax what are you doing? Trying to catch pneumonia?"

"What? Oh sorry just thinking."

Mr Stewart sat down beside Brax.

"Young April told me about Casey, how's he doing?"

"Not good, just brought him home from chemo, he's got a few more treatments left then he will have some more tests to see if it has worked, but it's hitting him hard."

"He's a strong kid, he will pull through this."

"I just don't know how to help, I have always sorted everything out, I'm his big brother I am supposed to do something but there is nothing I can do."

"Of course there is Brax, he still need his big brother, you just have to be there for him, to pick him up when he is down and to hold his hand, you lot have been through enough hurdles, and you will get over this one as well, it's just a little higher."

…

Bianca sat on the sofa, Casey had fallen back asleep, and his head lay on Bianca's lap. When Heath walked through the door, Bianca pointed down to Casey warning Heath to be quiet. He nodded, dumped his stuff and grabbed a blanket from the cupboard and draped it over Casey before sitting on the floor by Bianca. He looked at his little brother, he felt a pang of guilt for all the times he had made fun of him, and then looked up at his beautiful wife as she stroked Heath's back soothingly.

"Where's Brax?" Heath whispered.

"I don't know." Bianca replied, "he left earlier to go for a walk."

"I'm here," Brax replied as he walked through the door, "How's he doing?"

"All right, asleep, he threw up on himself in his bed but we sorted it." Bianca said to Brax. "I'm glad you're back" she said to him touching his arm, as he sat down next to them, Bianca looking into his eyes with her knowing smile.


End file.
